Lytle creek to cucamonga peak

[Sose]

Parked my truck at 7 a.m Sunday and headed up Lytle creek middle fork. It was sunny, breezy and cool as I made good time across the scree slopes and through the cedar/pine forest above the noisy creek. Met some scouts breaking camp at 3rd crossing then headed up the switchbacks to Comanche. Making my way out of the woods there, I came to the drainage that goes up to cucamonga peak. I climbed up to the point where it was becoming more snow/ice filled. Lacking the time or patience to turtle on that way, I turned west and made my way up the hill, meeting the peak trail between the saddles. Met a lot of great people on the trail to the peak. There were some pesky snow covered switchbacks, passable without spikes and a little care. One spot to watch for is an icy switchback at about 8000 ft with the trail being obvious on the way up but coming down, a side path leading to the mountaineer route branches off at the switchback and led some people down to a slippery snow bank and trouble. I saw this 3 times and helped pull 2 up to the trail. An unbridled slip there could lead to the snow chute top of the previously mentioned drainage and a 700 ft thrill ride to oblivion. The correct trail is to the left over the broken log. The snow yesterday may have made ice equipment a requirement. Nearing the peak, clouds rolled in, the wind picked up and the temperature dropped making the backdrop more stunning. On the way down as I was preparing for the steep truck down to the creek, I met Patricia who had climbed up a canyon from the other side of Ontario ridge and she showed me some awesome pictures of a group of stubborn bighorn sheep she met. Looked like good sized male juveniles with full horn curls. Wow!
The sun poked though the clouds over the peaks behind me as I headed down, collected water at the creek and made it back to my truck. Pulling away down the bumpy road, I felt a little sad to leave as I usually do but the thought of cold Sierra Nevada torpedo waiting for me made it easier. All in all a beautiful day in the San Gabriel's!
Peace on, Keep your wits about you, Love and respect the wilderness...